Scott---you gotta spell better (doubt, not dought) before you can be taken too seriously.

Like using 'gotta' instead of 'you should', Anna? That said, Mr Kennedy's grammar is atrocious. What can you expect, however, when it's no longer taught? It's probably not his fault.

I am so happy we have grammar police....mine is sucky, usually I really do not mind the help, but sometimes people need to get a life.

Scott makes several good points. Life goes on. Have fun picking my posting apart.

I bet Scott Kennedy wore his hair long at school. That explains the bad grammar.

Texas has schools?

You are on a school board and your grammer states you never graduated past the 8th grade.

Mommy, as a mother I would think that you would want to teach your children to dress in an appropriate manner for school. The school district I live in started having the children wear uniforms because parents like you simply wouldn't stop their daughters from wearing "belly shirts" and low slung jeans with their thongs showing; and letting their sons wear low hanging jeans with their underpants showing. This school has a dress policy and it is there for a REASON. The problem with kids these days is that Mom and Dad, instead of teaching their children respect and responsibility, are teaching them to whine and complain about every single thing that they do not like! That is why kids today tend to be disrespectful and have more disciplinary problems in school. It's NOT a matter of freedom of speech (what a load of CRAP!!!), it is a matter of what is appropriate attire in an educational environment (they have plenty of time to "express themselves" after school, during holiday breaks and during the summer). On holidays and during the summer I will happily spray my daughter's hair pink, blue, green etc. for the day...it's fun for her and she likes it. But during the school year she knows that this is inappropriate and the school doesn't allow it. I will NOT fight these rules because they are appropriate for school! If that makes me a "conservative" parent...then so be it....I am FINE with that label!

I have a dress code at my office. Wearing funky jeans, a "belly shirt", tatoos all over my arms and tongue piercings are simply not acceptable. If you come here for an interview looking like that you will more than likely not get hired...why...because we can find someone who is dressed in a professional manner that is appropriate for our office. These are the simple facts of life and the sooner we teach our children these things the better. Now, I know all of you liberal parents are going to whine about my post and I simply don't care. Rules are made for a reason and all of you whiney "liberal" parents just give me a pain!

Kids today are disrespectful because people who influence them are more interested in appearance than in content of character. When appearance becomes more imporatant than character, integrity goes out the window. Most of the school districts I have heard of who went to uniforms, do so to gang issues, not fashion faux pas. In that context, I agree with them. A kid with long hair, who takes care of it, is neither a threat, nor a potential social loss. If he was Native American, it would be a religious issue, and should be accomodated as such. It's not about "liberal" or "conservative", it's about having respect for the individual. The "whiney liberal" comment was a cheap shot.

He's four years old! Who cares how long his hair is? And why in-school suspension? Is long hair a contagious disease? Good grief!

Kids today are disrespectful because they see adults thumbing their noses at rules, laws, and moral behavior. I don't see this as a matter of placing appearance above character - I see it as a matter of respect. This kids hair is not what makes him a good person or a bad person - he is not a potential social loss because of the length of his hair. He is a potential social loss when his parents are teaching him that what he wants trumps every other consideration. Other people don't matter - not their needs or wants. I want to make me happy, and if my happiness comes at your expense, too bad. I win! Me, me, me!! I don't care you invested your life savings with me, I want now, and if you end up bankrupt, I don't care! I have what I want!

What are we really teaching these kids? It seems to be a silly rule, and because it is silly, you can ignore it? When did individuality and me-me-me take over? Why is it wrong to teach kids that sometimes they have to do things they don't like? I don't like paying my bills, but if I don't I have no way to fight on Newsvine!

Yes, its hair, BFD - the school should just roll over and let the kids do whatever the hell they want to. If it creates anarchy and diminishes another kids' education - too bad. My kid gets his way - your kid is SOL.

Our freedoms are not absolute - they are not guarantees to behave as we wish when ever we wish. We have a responsibility to protect the rights of other people to secure our own. Its social interaction - I give up something today so that you can have it. Tomorrow may be different. My happiness cannot come at the expense of everyone else.

I agree to send my child to school, and will obey the rules and codes of that school. You agree to take my child and educate him and keep him safe. I will teach my child that the right way to fight something I don't agree with is to go to meetings, run for a position on the school board, persuade other parents that something needs to change. I will not teach my child that it is acceptable to sit on the floor, pound my heels and scream "no, no, no -- don't wanna do it - don't wanna, don't wanna! Me, me, me!! Always me!"

We need to stop teaching our kids that "all men are created equal...except you, precious, you are special."

Travlena, you didn't mention anything about long hair. If your school require that girls' hair be no longer than their chin, would you comply? The other things you mention are all well and good and I can understand them, but putting a 4 YEAR OLD under in-school suspension for having long hair is absurd! I hope the parents will continue to fight this, bring it to the supreme court if need be because this is a clear violation of rights.

"Our freedoms are not absolute - they are not guarantees to behave as we wish when ever we wish. We have a responsibility to protect the rights of other people to secure our own. Its social interaction - I give up something today so that you can have it. Tomorrow may be different. My happiness cannot come at the expense of everyone else."

Tell me exactly what harm this child having long hair will do to the rest of the student body. What you are describing sounds something more along the lines of China's style of government. If that is what you like, go live there. But keep that kind of thinking out of my country, because I never want to see the US stoop to that level.

Interesting "travelena" I'm a "liberal" parent who happens to agree with many of your points. What I DISAGREE with is your making this a conservative v. liberal issue. Why would you do that? I know many "liberal" parents who support uniform rules because they feel it's a better academic environment. And how do you know what the other parent allows her children to wear (or not to wear) based on a simple post?

Your good points would have been much better taken without the "attack politics".

Travlena, the problem with your response is that on holidays and Summers your daughter has the OPTION of spraying whatever color she wants in her hair. Children with a dress code have the OPTION of wearing any clothes they want outside of school. Once this child's hair is cut his OPTION is taken away. Last time I checked hair doesn't grow overnight so he is stuck with the "school approved" haircut wherever he goes. That means in his PRIVATE life too, over which the school has no control. This school is overstepping their boundaries by judging a child based soley on the length of his hair. (Harkens back to the 60's where people were judged by how they looked not who they were).

This is America and the school is out of line and violating this child's rights.

the same as if a female with long hair, who covers her face and is caught sleeping i would guess...

Teacher; no one said that he was misbehaving or sleeping.

The real problem is the truism that power corrupts and the more power the more corruption

Schools don't get to dictate things that can't be changed once the student leaves the grounds. And yes, teacher, you should do your job and make sure your students are awake.... is that really such a hard thing?

Exactly. People wonder where the attitude comes from where people think they only have to follow the rules they like, or that some rules don't apply to them. Well here you go. If you don't like the rule then fight to change it. That doesn't give you the right to decide which school policies you decide to follow and which you don't.

ptj the school can make rules but not rules that are in violation of the civil liberties that are guaranteed by the constitution.

bopdaddytoo: What paragraph of the constitution covers hair styles?

The parents say that the rules are not being applied equally, because other students in the district have longer hair than this four-year-old. Why are the other students not being punished? Could it be because this boy's parents are tatoo artists in an (apparently) uber-conservative town? Probably. Unless the school applies the rules equally, they have no leg to stand on legally.

The Constitution does not cover "hair". LOL

Actually, there have been several Supreme Court rulings on the issue of student rights and school rules. Check them out.

ding ding ding...we have a winner!!!!

This is exactly what the problem is; who's in charge of this home? There is an opportunity here for the parents to teach their son about rules and cooperation, instead he will see rebellion and confrontation. I am all for our freedoms including the right to look any way we'd like, but there is a right way to accomplish things. These people should work within the their local government and community to get the rule changed. I'm sure they would get a lot of support and come out victorious, while teaching their son about the workings of our Democracy. Come on people, this is an easy one.

Thank you MeganK...you are spot on! I don't agree with all of the rules at my children's school but kids need to learn that rules are there for a reason and that there are proper channels to go about getting rules changed. Parents like the ones in this story are NOT helping their child. In the long run it will only cause more problems for their child and for them as parents. In general these will be the kids causing discipline problems in school and getting in trouble later in life...why....because they know Mom and Dad will be there defending them for all of their "crimes".

My parents were very strict with me and my two siblings. We were taught to follow the rules and not cause trouble. If we got in trouble at school there was hell to pay when we got home. We thought my parents were so mean and hated the rules. My cousin, who is the same age as my brother, was raised by more permissive parents (who we thought were SO COOL growing up) they shrugged off his marijuana use, and blamed everyone else anytime he got in trouble . Jeremy is now 30 years old...and even though he was an honor student with my brother his brain is now fried from drugs with his short term memory affected so he can't go to college and now holds low wage jobs, he has been arrested numerous times and his marriage is shaky at best. My brother, has a masters degree and a job that pays just under six figures. He has never been in trouble with the law (more than a speeding ticket) and has a nice home and a stable marriage. Ask me now how "cool" I think my aunt and uncle were as parents and how horrible and mean I think my parents were!

These parents decided to pick and choose this battle? If you're gonna fight, make it worth your while. The (reasonable) dress code rules are for a reason. Discipline and minimal distractions from academics are only 2 of them. It would be understandable if the school made unreasonable requirements (such as height, weight, etc. as previously mentioned) or if he was suspended for something ambiguious or innocuous. But this is non-compliance for non-compliance sake.

They're not teaching their child to stand for his principles. They're teaching a four year old that he can ignore authority. What will they do when he decides that he doesn't have to do what mom and dad says?

And for the record, students do not have the same civil rights when they are on school property as they do in public. Their property can be search without cause, they do not have freedom of speech, there is no expectation of privacy, etc., etc., etc.

The school is only enforcing its policies and adhering to its cod of conduct for this boy. There are other kids in the school district that have longer hair and they are not being punished or made to cut it. My guess is that his father being a tatoo artist in a conservative town has more to do with this than the lenght of the boy's hair. The lesson his parents are teaching him about equality and fairness is far greater than what the school thinks they are teaching through isolating and ostracizing him (not to mention that he's growing it out to donate it to cancer patients for wigs).

Yes! I totally agree with you! If they held everyone to the same hair-length requirement, then this wouldn't be an issue at all.

Agreed. Rules are in place for a reason, whether you disagree with them or not.

If the parents don't like the rules, send the child somewhere else.

No justyou. They're saying that you ought not pick and choose what rules to abide by and which ones you can ignore. Anarchy...Lord of the Flies bit.

Hey, don't forget that the school is picking and choosing which students to apply the rules, too, also.

How long have you been teaching????

The article says they put in a ponytail and thats not good enough it HAS TO BE A BRAID? What is the difference? And did you see the photo? His hair isn't very long. Plus he is trying to grow it to donate it to cancer patients for wigs, wow, he sounds like an awful person doesn't he......

the real reason for short hair was when our country entered into a non-volunteer military all men were shorn like sheep to prevent head lice in men living is close confining spaces.

Before WW1 all men wore long hair and beards.

Kings had really, really, really long hair. It was a sign of status and having it cut off was a worse punishment than death. Short haircuts are a relatively recent "fad", No?

I could not agree with you more. Being a freethinker and/or educated in our current society is some how considered bad or wrong. I think what it boils down to, is that some people fear people that think. The education systems do not care about education; there main concern is that everyone gets along with other peers that are the same.

Line up the robots and send them out into the world without a clue. The robot will do whatever it is told to do. The robot will not question anything.

I am mother of four children, I am majoring in psychology, and my husband is a longhaired physicist. We have to deal with this ignorance in the education system every day of our lives.

I find your comments contradictory. How can you consider yourself a freethinker and/or even liberal? Are you not willing to question the logic in this dress code? If you lived in Nazi Germany, would you just go along with the program? Everyone must conform, no individualism allowed.

Are you now a psychologist? Not hardly! Any psychologist would know tantrums are a normal for children. Children throw tantrums do to the fact they cannot verbally express their needs and/or wants. Children need taught the art of reasoning and given reasons on why they cannot have something.

You must also have ESP, CNN, and other channels. How in the world do you know what the child’s parents think?

In addition, to your illogical post and ignorant post, parents do not have children to lock them up in cages. Children need to learn to make choices. Children cannot learn to reason, use logic, or even think from themselves, if parents do not allow the child to think. Children are not animals they are people! If society continues thinking that, everyone must be the same and conform. If society continues, thinking and defining normal and abnormal behavior: based on little or no education and understanding, communism will befall on America. All for the sake or someone being different!

Yep, that's the way to go because violence ALWAYS works

glenbo, please tell me you don't have children of your own!!

You are funny, glenbo, I approve of your comment! HAHAHA!!!!